Digits vs Pennylane (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Digits grades higher than Pennylane: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Digits grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Digits
AI-native general ledger with bookkeeping, bill pay and invoicing
Pennylane
French accounting, invoicing and business account in one app
Which one is for you
Pick Digits if
- Fits if you run a startup and want AI to categorize transactions in a real general ledger
- Makes sense if you want an API or MCP on your books
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you're a freelancer: $65 a month is the starting price, with no free plan
- Skip it if you need budget against actuals, as that's Pro at $250 a month
- Watch out: extra entities start at $35 a month
- Watch out: full-service accounting, CFO and tax work come through partner firms and aren't in the plans
- Not for you if you want an Android or desktop app
Pick Pennylane if
- Fits if you run a French company and want invoicing and your business account together
- Makes sense if your accountant will work inside the same app
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're outside France, as the pages and plans are French and in euros
- Pricey if you want real accounting: the module is Premium at €79 a month, €149 for 2 users
- Watch out: Starter needs the Pennylane Pro account activated
- Watch out: each plan covers up to 1,200 invoices a year
How we grade them
| 2.2GPADigitsFair | 2.0GPAPennylaneFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$65 a month for Essentials, $100 for Core and $250 for Pro, against $26 in the middle for this category. The page doesn't say whether annual billing changes it. | D€7 for Starter, which needs the Pro account active, and €24 for Essentiel. The accounting module and tax filing sit on Premium at €79 a month, about three times this category's middle. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day free trial, and the pages we read don't say whether a card is needed. No free plan. | CA 15-day free trial with no commitment. No free plan. |
| Features | BAI bookkeeping, month-end close, bill pay, invoicing, reports and multi-entity books, with an API and MCP. The listing's only limits are plan gates, such as budgets on Pro. | CInvoicing, e-invoicing, a Pro account with cards, expense reports and cash forecast. Full accounting needs Premium, and the pages are aimed at French companies. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You connect your accounts and review what the AI books before you rely on it. | CNo store rating on record. It's a suite with a bank account to open, and the pages are in French. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and iPhone, with a developer API and MCP. No Android or desktop app listed. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Qonto, GoCardless, Silae and HubSpot, and an API from Essentiel. |
| Best for | AI-run books for startups | French accounting and a business account in one app |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Digits and Pennylane. How we grade
Price against what you get
Digits starts at $65 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Pennylane starts at about $7.82 a month and scores 2.3.
Digits scores higher, and starts $57.18 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other accounting and invoicing tools on the chart, 6 score higher than Digits for less, and 4 score higher than Pennylane for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Digits also covers dashboards.
- Pennylane also covers expense tracking and company cards.
At a glance
| Digits | Pennylane | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $65 per month | €7 per month, excluding VAT (Starter, 1 user) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial | 15-day free trial, no commitment |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Digits | Pennylane |
| Price read from | digits.com | pennylane.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Digits
- The pricing page states monthly prices but not whether annual billing changes them.
- Dimensional accounting and automated schedules start at Core; budget vs. actuals only on Pro.
- Extra entities beyond the free 250 transactions a year start at $35 a month.
- Full-service accounting, CFO and tax work are sold through partner firms, not in the plans.
Pennylane
- Pages and plans are in French, priced in euros before VAT, and aimed at French companies.
- Each plan covers up to 1,200 invoices a year; Custom has unlimited sales invoices.
- Starter requires activating the Pennylane Pro account; the paid plans are sold by company size and user count.
- Capital deposit costs €1 instead of €69 excluding VAT with a Pennylane subscription.
Key features
Digits
- AI bookkeeping
- AI models code incoming transactions from connected banks, cards and payroll, with checks that each one is coded and documented.
- Agentic month-end close
- A close workflow and checklist for finishing the month, with automated schedules for accruals from the Core plan.
- Bill pay and invoicing
- Drag, drop, approve and pay bills, and create invoices, on every plan.
- Reports and dashboards
- Live profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow; custom reports and dashboards arrive on Pro.
- Multi-entity books
- Several entities under one login with separate books; extra entities are free up to 250 transactions a year.
- Developer API and MCP
- An API and MCP connection to the ledger is included on all plans.
Pennylane
- Invoicing and e-invoicing
- Create and receive invoices in line with French e-invoicing rules; the pages state that every plan is compliant.
- Pro account and cards
- A business account with virtual, physical and one-time cards, supplier payments and automatic reconciliation of transactions.
- Accounting module
- The Premium plan adds accounting reports, automated entry rules, VAT and tax-return filing by EDI, and month-end closing.
- Expense reports
- From Essentiel, the plans handle expense claims and mileage allowances, with automatic categorization and analytical reports.
- Cash forecast
- Essentiel and above include a cash forecast, based on the pricing page's feature list.
- Accountant access
- Plans give your accountant access, and a separate offer exists for accounting firms.
Plans
Digits
Essentials$65
per month; billing basis not stated, no per-seat fees
For solopreneurs and early-stage businesses: core ledger, AI bookkeeping, bill pay and invoicing.
Core$100
per month; billing basis not stated, no per-seat fees
Adds dimensional accounting for departments and locations, and automated schedules.
Pro$250
per month; billing basis not stated, no per-seat fees
Adds custom reports, custom dashboards and budget vs. actuals.
Pennylane
Starter€7
per month, excluding VAT, 1 user
For independents: invoicing, Pro account with cards, supplier payments in one click, bank sync; needs the Pro account active.
Basique€14
per month, excluding VAT, 1 user
Adds deposits and partial invoices, delivery and purchase orders and built-in supplier payment; €29 for a 2-user company.
Essentiel€24
per month, excluding VAT, 1 user
Adds automated reminders, quote signing, recurring invoices, expense reports, cash forecast and API; €49 for 2 users.
Premium€79
per month, excluding VAT, 1 user
Adds the accounting module: tax filing by EDI, month-end and annual closing, annual accounts; €149 for 2 users.
CustomCustom
For multi-entity or complex companies: unlimited users, multi-level approvals and EBICS T payments; quote only.
Ways to pay less
Digits
No public discounts listed.
Pennylane
- Other savings
Capital deposit for €1
A Pennylane subscription from €7 excluding VAT lowers the online capital deposit fee to €1 from €69.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Digits or Pennylane?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Pennylane is cheaper to start with: about $7.82 a month, against $65 a month for Digits. Digits starts at $65 per month, and Pennylane starts at €7 per month, excluding VAT (Starter, 1 user).
Which has a free plan, Digits or Pennylane?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Digits nor Pennylane has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Digits and Pennylane run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Pennylane lists an Android app. Both list a web app and an iOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.